The Sword Of Gryffindor: True Power
by doormouse11
Summary: Lily Potter, daughter of Harry and Ginny Potter, arrives for her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A rumour travels around the school that the Sword of Gryffindor had disappeared. Lily and her cousin, Hugo, must find the sword before it's true power can be unleashed.


**_Chapter One_**

_I never imagined that I would be in a situation like this, although if only brief, facing death really makes you think about the value of your life and of those you love._

Boarding the train to Hogwarts for the first time didn't seem like that much of a big deal to me, after all, I already had two older brothers who I had watched do that exact thing. James started at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a while back now, and Albus is now entering his third year at the school. I watch out of the window of the carriage as the station grows smaller and smaller, until I can see it no longer. Hugo sits opposite me in the carriage, with his red hair falling down over his eyes. Hugo and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, but it is not just friendship that bonds us together – he is my cousin.

Growing up in the wizarding world is different than in the muggle world, or so I am told by my father. He was not as fortunate as me in having a family to support him, he never really knew his parents – my grandparents – as they died when he was just a young boy. I am named after my grandmother, Lily Potter.I slept most of the train journey; I didn't intend to, it just happened. Hugo shook me awake as the train started to slow down. The sun was completely gone, the moon replacing it, filling the dark night sky. As I stepped off the train, cool September night air whooshed around me.

"Firs' Years!" a voice exclaimed from behind me. I turned around to see a gigantic man, with a flowing grey beard and a walking stick held in his right hand.  
"Firs' Years, this way" he said again. I followed him, along with all of the other new first years, to the edge of a large lake, illuminated by the moonlight. In the distance I could see the castle towering into the night sky, it was more magnificent than I could ever have expected.  
"I'm Rubeus Hagrid." said the man with the grey beard. "I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

We got into the boats on the edge of the lake, after being instructed to do so by Hagrid. Unfortunately, Hugo was in a different boat to mine, so instead I was sat with three complete strangers.  
"Hi," nervously said a girl sat next to me "My name is Leanne Patil, you must be Lily Potter. I recognise you from a picture in Wizarding Weekly. My mother was in the same school year as your father."  
"Really?" I said. Not really at all that interested. "Do you know what is going to happen in the sorting ceremony?" I asked.  
"No," said Leanne "my mother wouldn't tell me, and I don't have any siblings."  
"I have two older brothers, but they wouldn't tell me anything, even when I begged them."  
"I hope it won't be too scary."  
"I've heard that it's a test of some sort" said a blonde haired boy who was sat in front of me. "My name is Malfoy" said the boy.  
"What kind of name is that?" mocked Leanne.  
"That's not my first name, stupid. My full name is Scorpius Malfoy. But I prefer Malfoy."

* * *

All of the First Years were crowded nervously together at the front of the Great Hall. A very old looking woman, who had earlier introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, was stood in front of the crowd, calling out names.  
"Leanne Patil" said the Professor. Leanne walked up to a stool, positioned at the front of the hall in full view of everyone, and put a worn old hat on her head.  
"Ravenclaw!" the hat shrieked.  
"Scorpius Malfoy" read out the Professor.  
"Slytherin" the hat sneered. This process carried on until just a handful of us were left.

"Hugo Weasley." Hugo walked slowly up to the hat and stared at it for a few moments. He then sat down and placed it shakily on his head.  
"Hufflepuff!" the hat proclaimed. The look on Hugo`s face was a mix of disappointment at being placed in Hufflepuff and relief at not being placed in Slytherin. Hugo had been worrying for weeks now that he would not be placed in Gryffindor, like all of his family before him. Now this nightmare had come true.  
"Lily Potter." I didn't recognise my own name being read out at first; it was only when I noticed people staring at me that I realised that it had. I walk towards the stool and the hat, glaring at the hat as if daring it to face me. I put the hat on my head and wait, silently, for its verdict.

"Gryffindor" the hat shouts. Relief flows through my body.


End file.
